Frozen Time
by ReginaRiverMayHill
Summary: Time was frozen for him, the wind just standing still in his moment of grief. Somewhere, deep down, he knew that life must be progressing but in that moment he didn't care. Because he didn't want time to stop, he wanted it to rewind. But time didn't work like that. It wasn't panic or fear on her face, just regret and a strange form hope as her arm reached out towards them, frozen.


**A/N I have absolutely no idea where this came from, wait, it was probably a six year old at her mother's funeral. Yep, that's it**

He felt like he was lost. Drowning in this unfamiliar air. Falling through an eternal crack in his life.

Time was frozen for him, the melting icicles no longer dripping, the wind just standing still in his moment of grief.

Somewhere, deep down, he knew that life must be progressing but in that moment he didn't care. It didn't matter to him. Because he didn't want time to stop, he wanted it to rewind. To leave him 1 week ago, before Marion had come back, before the time portal had opened, before Elsa had arrived.

But time didn't work like that. It moved and slowed down in the perfect ways that caused you the most pain. Just like it was doing now.

Suddenly it started to move, the wind caught him off guard throwing him backwards and snowflakes hit his face. He used to adore their delicate shapes and patterns but now he hated them. He hated the cold wind lashing at his face. But he couldn't hate these women before him.

She spun before him, her panic creating a snowstorm. Her frantic hands waved around her, losing control of her magic and frozen tears were glued to her face. He looked towards her and her face became a shadow fear as she stumbled away from fear.

He staggered towards her, not caring about the ice shards that flew at his face. Her lip quivered and his rage, his fire disappeared, leaving with a hollow it in his stomach and an ache in his heart.

He held out a hand, a peace offering to her and whole expression changed from fear to self-loathing guilt. She gently took the hand, not looking over his left shoulder, too afraid to look at the damage she had done.

Finally the snow cleared and they both turned around, dread evident in their steps to face their guilt and regret.

It wasn't panic, or fear on her face, just regret and a strange form hope as her frozen arm reached out towards them. She was leaning out with her left arm flung out behind her. Her red scarf fluttered behind her, limply unlike her.

It was a position of relief that she wouldn't have to live in her world of loneliness and hope for forgiveness. Hope she had already found before she'd sacrificed herself.

It was silent, the wind dormant and everyone else fighting Elsa's mother.

A wetness started to spread in his left sleeve and she was crying into his shoulder. He brought his arm around her shoulder. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours at the damage they had caused.

An icicle crashed on the ground and they both jumped, bringing them out of their grief.

Everything became real.

His eyes brimmed with new tears and his heart felt like it was going to burst.

"No" he hoarsely whispered. "Please no" he sounded too desperate.

His throat was raw and burning and his eyes were swollen and sore. He ran stumbling towards the icy statue. He fell to the ground before her feet, clinging to her legs.

He howled in pain and behind him Elsa collapsed to the frozen ground, sobbing her heart out.

He made his way up her short body, clinging to her so tightly. Soon he stood, leaning against her with his hands around her face but it was wrong. Her head was turned to his left and she was looking at something over his shoulder. She should be leaning her nose against his, looking into his eyes, her breath fogging the air.

Her body was cold, like so many had thought her was and her red gloves were covered in frost.

He heard whispers break out and a scream of pain and resistance but he didn't turn around. She was the most important thing right now. She always had been.

He let his head drop onto hers, resting his warm cheek against her frozen one. It hurt, the biting cold spreading through his face but he stayed there. She was in pain for a week as he ignored her, to keep himself from drowning in guilt and her in heartbreak. Instead it just hurt them both more.

But it was that move, that one action of ignorance that led her to be standing there, frozen in black and red with a look of frozen hope on her face. All because he didn't choose her. The right one. He loved Marion, but it was never her.

"It was you' he whispered into her ear, getting louder.

"It was always you" The crowd was silent.

"It would never be anyone else" he practically yelled.

"It will always be you" he sobbed, throwing himself around her neck.

His fingers curved against the ice that was slowly becoming soft. The ice figure in his arms squirmed ever so slightly and he squeezed even tight, unsure if he could really believe it.

"Is it really me?" a quiet unsteady voice whispered against his cheek and he started to cry.

They were fat tears of joy and relief and he stepped back taking her face in his hands. She looked so small and young, not like the confident self she had always been. He shook his head, smiling at her and kissed her, their tears mingling on their cheeks and mushed up noses.

"It always has been" he said and they both smiled, rubbing their noses gently together.

A figure approached the raven haired woman from behind, with her hands over her blue dress.

Her long white hair had come completely loose of her signature braid and dirty tear tracks stripped down her face. Shame was evident in her blue eyes and it was only with hope for forgiveness that she had come forward to her best friend.

Regina spun around on one heel, looking her friend in the eyes. She put out a hand on Elsa's shoulder and the younger woman flinched.

"I'm sorry" she hoarsely whispered, bowing her head but the Evil Queen pulled the Snow Queen into a hug, rocking her back and forth.

"I know" Regina whispered into her shoulder. "So am I"

And as she looked into the witch's eyes she saw herself in too many ways.

Gently she put her arm around Elsa's shoulder and her hand into Robin's and they walked from that frozen spot, leaving their shadows.

"I love you" Robin whispered to his girlfriend and her eyes widened with love and happiness. She swallowed quickly, squeezing his hand.

"I love you too"

And at their service, for the former Queen and thief with the aging King and Queen in the front row beside the children and grandchildren they had left behind as an inconsolable Snow Queen sat beside her desperate sister with a teary prince clutching his wife and children next to his Locksley siblings they all thought back to that moment when the most spontaneous, unexpected, and beautiful love fought through everything life had thrown at it and won.

But everyone had to loose, because in most ways dying was and this was time, taking it's revenge on those who had fought it for so long, 50 years later killing them in their sleep and sickness because that's how time worked, taking itself away when you least expect it. Like it just did.


End file.
